John Thompson

ELIZABETHTON — An Erwin man’s marriage got off to a difficult start over the weekend when he was arrested on his wedding night on charges of vandalizing his father-in-law’s house and assaulting his brother-in-law.
Jonathan Cory Belcher, 24, 3968 Old Asheville Highway, Erwin, was arrested by Constable Mark Carrier on charges of vandalism and domestic assault. He is scheduled to answer the charges in Sessions Court on Sept. 20.
Constables Carrier and Harvey Shaffer responded to a domestic violence call to 179 Ridgeland Drive, Johnson City, shortly after midnight on Sunday. The constable found four people outside the residence and asked them if this is where the call had come from. They said it was and two people were downstairs yelling at each other.
The constables were escorted by the owner of the home, Tim Hensley, who said he was the father of Ashley Belcher and she had gotten married that day to Belcher. Hensley told them she was downstairs yelling at her husband.
On the way downstairs, the constables noticed the glass in the screen door was broken out, the basement door was knocked down and the framing torn out. Chairs and a table had been turned over.
Carrier said he found Belcher screaming at his wife and he was in a violent rage. Carrier placed him in handcuffs. After further investigation, Carrier said he learned Belcher had assaulted his brother-in-law, Joshua Wilkerson. Carrier found Wilkerson in a car and he was unresponsive. Wilkerson’s wife said he had a steel rod in his leg from an injury in Iraq. She wanted him taken to the hospital. Carrier called for medical assistance.
As he was arresting Belcher, Carrier said Belcher was talking about beating up his brother-in-law and he was yelling at the family. Carrier said that due to Belcher’s rage it was necessary to spray him with a pepper spray prior to transporting him to jail.